Baby Brother

I am absolutely loving being able to share this pregnancy with both Henry and Lucy.  It’s hard to know exactly how much they understand, but they definitely are aware of *something* going on. 

Henry: Talks about “his” baby often and knows that he will be coming sometime before Christmas.  He’s very excited to have a baby brother and wants to help get things ready for his arrival.  Every night at bedtime, he gives the baby a blessing along with a hug and a kiss.  If you ask him where his baby brother is, he’ll tell you just where to find him.  In anticipation of baby’s arrival, Henry has learned how to buckle himself into his car seat (with my blessing and encouragement).  He was determined to figure it out before his brother comes.  He asked me the other day about the hospital, so we drove by the hospital where I will have the baby.  Henry has picked out a name for the baby, but the grown-ups in the house have yet to be convinced.  He has also picked up on the fact that the baby makes me have to go to the bathroom more often and was able to explain to me (a few days after I talked to him about it) that the baby was “squishing” me. 

Lucy: Talks about her “baby brother” and sometimes puts her head on my tummy and says “Hi, brother!”  If you ask her where the baby is, she’ll probably point to her own tummy.  She also thinks that my belly button must have something to do with the baby (Henry at this age thought my belly button was the baby).  Both kids recognize the baby’s face in the latest ultrasound pictures (the 3-d ones) and call him Baby Brother.  Lately Lucy has been showing interest in climbing out of her crib, so I don’t feel bad about planning to move her out of it in the next few months.   She also likes to bounce on my tummy (not my favorite part).  She loves watching all the babies that are siblings of Henry’s classmates (we all wait together at pick-up time for the class to be over) and is likely to spot an infant carrier (carseat) even before I do. 

Favorite Book:  The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola.  This was recommended to me by a librarian before Lucy was born and we picked it up again this week.  Both kids love it, especially Henry.  We talk about how he already has a baby sister, just like Tommy, and now he will have a baby brother, too.  Lucy pointed at the baby in the story tonight and said “brother.”  It is a very sweet book that deals with Tommy’s mom’s pregnancy and her going away to the hospital for a few days when the baby is born.  And then they come home and Tommy gets to meet his sister.  And he is “the happiest boy in the world.”  Henry smiles and gives me a hug every time we read that last line.